The UK government is actively considering abandoning the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a growing scandal involving its artificial intelligence tool. The controversy centres on Grok's image creation feature, which users exploited to generate sexually explicit and digitally altered pictures, including of children.
Internal Government Conversations Underway
Anna Turley, the Chair of the Labour Party and a minister without portfolio, confirmed on Friday that serious discussions are taking place. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Turley stated that conversations about the continued use of X are happening both within the government and the Labour Party. She emphasised that the platform must "get its act together" to prevent the spread of harmful AI-generated content.
"It's really, really important that we tackle this," Turley said. "Those conversations are ongoing across government. I think all of us in politics are evaluating our use of social media." When asked personally, she admitted having thought "a lot" about leaving the site over recent months.
Mounting Pressure and Platform Response
The government has faced increasing calls to sever ties with X after the site was flooded with the offending images. In a reactive move, X announced on Friday that it was limiting access to Grok's image creation tool to paid subscribers only. However, this has not quelled the political backlash.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has thrown his support behind media regulator Ofcom, urging it to use its full powers under the Online Safety Act. These powers could include cutting off the company's access to certain technologies and funding, effectively imposing a de facto ban in the UK. "X has got to get a grip of this," Starmer stated. "This is wrong. It's unlawful. We're not going to tolerate it."
Political Divide and Communication Dilemma
The issue has caused a split in political circles. Some prominent figures and committees have already decided to leave. The Women and Equalities Committee, chaired by Sarah Owen, declared X was "not an appropriate platform" for official communications. Former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh called it "unconscionable" for the government to use the platform "for another minute".
Conversely, others argue for maintaining a presence on a platform that boasts over 500 million monthly active users. James Lyons, a former communications director to Keir Starmer, argued that political communication requires engagement on all major forums to persuade the public.
As of now, none of the major UK political parties have officially left X. The government's official stance has been to focus on regulatory action through Ofcom rather than an immediate boycott, leaving the final decision pending further internal evaluation.
